


Inches from Death

by Croc9400



Series: Malec One Line Prompt Challenge [11]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Max Lightwood-Bane, Comatose Magnus Bane, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Magnus Bane, Hurt/Comfort, Immortal Alec Lightwood, Immortal Magnus Bane, Injured Magnus Bane, M/M, Magnus Bane Deserves Nice Things, Near Death Experiences, Parents Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Protective Alec Lightwood, Sickfic, Worried Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:55:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27239167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Croc9400/pseuds/Croc9400
Summary: Magnus joins Alec on a mission and it nearly has a fatal conclusion***Day 11 - "Knowing you has made me a better person"
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Malec One Line Prompt Challenge [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1952176
Comments: 25
Kudos: 151





	Inches from Death

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this one took so long, I've had a long week. Plus, this one took me a few days to write. But it's a nice long one for you, nice and angsty, so I hope you enjoy it!

Alec didn’t like it when Magnus joined him on missions. 

He didn’t like it when anyone he cared about went out on a mission, but at least with his siblings, they’d been training like this all their lives. They’ve known since they were children that there was a distinct possibility that one or all of them may die young. It didn’t take the pain away, as was evident with Max’s death, but there was a certain level of preparedness that came with knowing you could die at any time. 

Magnus, however, was an entirely different story. Magnus was a warlock, he was immortal, he wasn’t supposed to die. Sure, his immortality didn’t make him invincible, but there was a certain invincibility complex, at least in Alec’s mind, that came with being immortal. At least, he sensed that invincibility when he drew on the rune that Clary had created for him. The one that sat over his heart next to his wedded rune. 

Alec cared about Magnus like he never thought he would. Fifteen years ago he wouldn’t have thought he could feel the kind of love he felt for Magnus or the love he felt for their children. But with this new type of love came a new type of fear. A new fear for Magnus’ life, one that he hadn’t felt until Magnus started joining him in battle. He hated it when he needed to go on a mission when Magnus was around because Magnus would always insist upon joining him. There was no point in fighting him, especially when he went in place of one of their kids. 

Alec didn’t know if he’d ever let out a scream as loud and gut-wrenching as the one he did when he saw a demon claw rip deep into Magnus’ chest. 

Alec’s voice carried across their makeshift battlefield, the remainder of the demons turning to face him. Alec quickly shot an arrow that lodged into the demon that had just attacked Magnus before making quick work of the others. 

“Oh, please call Cat, Magnus. Ragnor, anyone,” Alec begged his husband, ignoring the fact that he couldn’t hear him. He didn’t know if the Institute healers would be enough to save him, and he certainly didn’t want to have to call Max to heal his father’s deadly wound. 

As the demons closed in on him, he shouldered his bow and pulled out his blades, knowing they were his best shot. He took a claw to the shoulder before slicing down the last two demons. He didn’t even bother doing one last sweep of the area before running towards his husband, who was laying on the ground. 

“Magnus, Magnus, hey,” Alec put his hand on Magnus’ cheek, turning his head so he was looking at him, “Magnus, baby, please tell me you’re still with me,” 

“So pretty, Alexander,” Magnus muttered softly, trying to reach his hand up to Alec’s face but not having the strength to. Alec saw the claw marks in his chest were deep and large, taking up almost his entire torso. Any mundane would’ve been dead in seconds. 

“We’re gonna get you back to the Institute, Magnus,” Alec insisted, as he began to call Cat with shaking hands, “everything’s gonna be okay,” 

“You’ve been so good to me, Alexander, so good for me,” Magnus said, drawing Alec’s attention back to his face, “knowing you has made me a better person,”

“Hey, none of that, you’re going to be just fine,” Alec said before cursing at his phone, “come on, Cat, pick up!” 

“I love the life we built,” Magnus continued, “I love our boys, I love you,”

“Magnus, stop this, you are not leaving me,” Alec shook his head, hanging up the phone and going to call Max. He knew Max would pick up and he was running out of time. At this point, he didn’t care what Max saw, he just needed to save Magnus’ life. 

“Alexander, look at me,” Magnus said, grabbing Alec’s wrist, “wanna see your eyes,” 

Alec stopped for a brief moment and looked Magnus in the eyes. There was blood surrounding his mouth now and he gave a small smile. Slowly, however, his eyes began to close. 

“Love…” 

“MAGNUS!” Alec yelled, trying to keep Magnus from drifting off, “MAGNUS, NO!” 

“Dad?” Max’s voice was on the other line. 

“I need a portal, NOW!” Alec yelled, trying and failing to keep his voice from breaking. Seconds later a portal opened beside him and Max stepped through with the phone still up to his ear. 

“BAPAK!” Max yelled, dropping the phone as he fell to his knees just staring at his father’s body. 

“Max! Magic! Now!” Alec bit out. Max quickly nodded, raising his hands and pouring magic into his father’s body. There was a small part of his brain that questioned why the magic that was swirling around his husband was red and black, but he didn’t think too much into it.

“I need help!” Max yelled, tears beginning to stream down his face, “RAFAEL!” 

Seconds later Rafe stepped through the portal and his jaw fell open as he surveyed the scene in front of him. 

“Fuck,” Rafe let out.

“Get every healer in the infirmary, now!” Alec ordered as tears rolled down his cheeks, “see if they can get a hold of Cat,” 

“Right,” Rafe sprung into action, running back through the portal as Alec called Ragnor. 

“It is the middle of the night, shadowhunter, what do you want?” Ragnor’s voice was full of sleep but Alec didn’t care one bit. 

“It’s Magnus!” Alec sobbed out, unable to control himself anymore as he looked at his husband’s nearly lifeless body as his son cried trying to heal him, “I need you at the Institute now!”

“Shit,” Ragnor hung up and Alec went to try and call Madzie, hoping to get both her and Cat here. Given the extent of Magnus’ injuries, they were going to need all the warlock magic they could get. As he was on the phone, he couldn’t pull his eyes away from his husband’s face. Once so full of magic and light, it was too pale and lifeless for Alec to look at, but he couldn’t look away. 

He was vaguely aware of Ragnor stepping through the portal and immediately beginning to help Max heal him, which was a relief because his thirteen-year-old son looked like he was about to collapse. His glamor had long since fallen, tears streaming down his blue face. Cat and Madzie came through not long after. Madzie, now a full-grown adult, immediately wrapped her arm around Max and began to help, as did Cat. 

“Goddammit, Magnus,” Cat muttered as she began to work. 

“Rafe,” Max’s voice was soft and his arm was outstretched, “need your strength,”

Rafael didn’t hesitate. He dropped to the ground next to his brother and took his outstretched hand. Alec leaned into the mix of bodies surrounding his husband and took Magnus’ limp hand, and he prayed. 

He prayed to Raziel to feel the pull in his hand as Magnus pulled Alec’s own strength into his body. He prayed that this demon wouldn’t take his husband from him, and wouldn't take a father from his children. He let a hand rest over his heart, over the immortality rune that sat there. Clary couldn’t have given him this rune just for his husband, the man he was supposed to spend eternity with, to turn around and die five years later. 

Then he felt the smallest tug at his strength through his hand. 

“Oh, thank the angel!” Alec cried, his head dropping to Magnus’ hand as he gripped it tightly with both of his own, “whatever you’re doing is working, he just tried to pull on my strength,”

“Let him!” Cat ordered sternly.

“I’m not stopping him!” Alec shot back only to feel a second tug at the energy in his hand. He pulled Magnus’ hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the back of his hand, “take as much as you need, baby. You can make it through this, take it all if you have to,” 

It was almost as if Magnus, as unconscious as he was, was waiting for Alec’s permission. From the moment he told Magnus to take what he needed he felt the energy flow through his body into Magnus’. It was never a particularly unpleasant feeling, but it wasn’t one he’d always wanted to feel. This time, however, he could cry as he felt his own energy deplete, knowing it was going to save his husband’s life. 

He felt his own strength depleting quickly as Magnus continued to pull from him. He felt himself getting light-headed and began to feel unsteady. It was getting harder to keep his eyes open, but he didn’t care. Magnus was taking what he needed, and if he needed it all, he would take it all. 

The last thing he remembered was his world going dark. 

***

When Alec awoke everything was calm. He was calm and surroundings, his old bedroom at the Institute, that was calm. However when his eyes caught his fifteen-year-old son passed on in a chair next to his bed everything came back to him. 

“Magnus,” he uttered as he began to untangle himself from the blankets. The commotion woke Rafe.

“Dad, hey, dad, calm down,” Rafe said, both hands up as he tried to soothe Alec. 

“Where’s your father?” Alec asked urgently, looking around his room, trying to find any sign of him. 

“He’s alive,” Rafe assured him, “he’s still in the infirmary, Max is with him,”

“How is he?” Alec asked, getting out of bed. The second he stood up his head began to spin and he immediately fell back down. 

“Take it easy, dad,” Rafe said, “you’ve been out for two days. Papa almost sucked all the life out of you,” 

“Take me to see your father,” Alec ordered.

“Cat told me to get her when you woke up…” Rafe tried to protest. 

“Now, Rafael,” Alec said sternly, making sure to use his son’s full name, reaching out his hand to his son. Rafe sighed and helped pull Alec to his feet before letting him lean on him. 

“Hang on, let me make sure no one’s coming,” Rafe said, letting Alec lean on the wall before going to check the door. 

“My parabatai is the Head of the Institute, I can go wherever the hell I want,” Alec said but Rafe checked anyway. When he determined the coast was clear, he pulled Alec out with him. They slowly made their way to the infirmary, and into Magnus’ private room where he made eye contact with Max the second, they walked through the door. 

“Dad!” Max jumped from his chair next to Magnus’ bed and ran to help Rafe help him walk while also giving him an awkward side hug, “I’m glad you’re awake,”

“How is he?” Alec asked, returning Max’s hug as he helped him over to Magnus’ bed. 

“Weak,” Max replied solemnly, “Cat, um...Cat said she wasn’t sure if he’d wake up,” 

“Oh,” 

Rafe and Max exchanged a glance before helping Alec to Magnus’ bedside. Max was right, he was weak, the weakest Alec had ever seen him. His face was pale and jaunt and there were bandages over his entire torso. His hair was flat and his mouth hung open slightly. Alec looked up at his vitals on the screen and he didn’t like how weak they were. 

“Hey, baby,” Alec immediately sat down in the chair Max was in moments ago and took Magnus’ hand in both his, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. 

“It’s nice to see you awake, Alec,”

Alec’s head turned and he saw Cat in the doorway. 

“Hey,” Alec gave her a soft smile, “how are you?”

“I should be asking you that,” Cat replied, walking fully into the room, “boys, can you give me a moment alone to talk to your father,” 

Rafe and Max both looked at Magnus before looking at each other, both not overly fond of the idea of leaving him. 

“It’s alright, boys,” Alec assured them, “go get yourselves some food,”

“And bring some back for your father,” Cat said. They nodded before leaving, shutting the door behind them. 

“How is he? Really?” Alec asked her the second the door closed. 

“To be honest with you, I don’t know,” Cat replied, “his body is currently functioning but...he was dead, Alec,”

“How is he alive then?” Alec asked hesitantly, looking at his husband as if he might break at any moment. 

“A lot of magic, that’s my best guess,” Cat replied, “and probably most of your life force,” 

“Did he really almost kill me?” Alec looked at his husband, squeezing his limp hand a little tighter. 

“Yes,” Cat nodded, “if it hadn’t been for the Institute healers, you both probably wouldn’t have made it,” 

“What are the odds he makes it?” Alec asked, almost inaudibly, scared of what the answer might be. 

“I really don’t know,” Cat replied, “what we did...we were bordering on necromancy. That’s uncharted territory for me. I don’t know if he’ll wake up and if he does, I don’t know what kind of state he’ll be in,” 

“Was it Ragnor who did it? Who saved him?” Alec asked, assuming that the older warlock might be the only one who might know enough about necromantics to save his husband. 

“No,” Cat shook her head, “it was Max,” 

“Excuse me?” Alec looked at her, not sure he was hearing her right, “my thirteen-year-old son knows necromantics?” 

“I don’t know,” Cat shook her head, “all I know is I’ve talked with Ragnor and he didn’t do it, but he recognized the magic that was used. Madzie didn’t do it either, she didn’t even know about necromancy until I brought it up. I haven’t had a chance to talk to Max about it yet. Magnus was less than an inch from death when I got there. The only thing I’ve gotten from Max is that Magnus was dead when he got there. He’s closed himself off, he hasn’t said anything else. It had to be him,” 

“Shit,” Alec cursed, remembering the black and red magic that Max had used as soon as he’d seen Magnus, “has someone from the Spiral Labyrinth shown up yet?” 

“Not that I know of,” Cat replied, “you’d have to ask your parabatai. I’ve been in and out of here the past few days, I don’t really know what’s going on,” 

“Okay, thanks Cat,” Alec nodded, “is there anything else?” 

“No,” she shook her head, “are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Alec assured her, “I’ll let you know if anything changes,” 

“Okay,” she made her way towards the door, checking the window to ensure no one was outside before turning back to Alec, “are you going to talk to Max?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll talk to him,” Alec told her, “and when Magnus wakes up, I’ll have him talk to Max as well,”

“Okay,” she nodded, recognizing but not acknowledging Alec’s word choice. When. Not if, when. 

Cat left the room, leaving the door open a crack so the boys would know they were welcomed back inside.

“You can take my strength again, Magnus,” Alec said softly, holding Magnus’ hand in front of his lips, “anything you need, anything to let me know you’re there, please,” 

He tried not to feel distraught when he didn’t feel the same pull on his energy that he had on the battlefield. He tried to calm himself, knowing that Magnus had almost killed him taking his energy the first time, and it should be a relief to him that Magnus wasn’t trying to take anymore. There was a part of him that wondered if it was the necromantic magic that had had Magnus almost drain him of his life. Never before when they’d shared strength had it come even close to where it had been. 

Alec laid his head down on the bed and looked up at his husband’s pale face. He gripped his hand tightly before he let himself drift off once again. 

***

“Dad. Dad!” Rafe’s voice startled Alec awake. He immediately looked around and saw both Rafe and Max standing at the foot of Magnus’ bed, next to him. He looked back up and saw Magnus was still in the same position he was when Alec fell asleep. 

“We got you food,” Max said, pointing to the tray he had placed on the table across from the bed. 

“Thank you,” Alec said softly. Max picked up the tray and placed it down on the bed in front of Alec. 

“We need to talk, Max,” Alec said softly, trying to keep Rafe from overhearing, “I think you know what about,” 

“Yeah,” Max said softly, staring at his feet. 

“It’s your choice if you want Rafe here,” Alec told him, picking up one half of his sandwich with one hand, holding Magnus’ firmly in the other. It was then, after taking a bite, that he realized how hungry he was. He shoved the rest of the half of the sandwich in his mouth before going in for the next one. 

“Rafe, can you go get dad a few more sandwiches?” Max asked as Alec gobbled down the other half of the sandwich in one bite, “maybe like a dozen more?”

“I’ll bring you as many as I would’ve eaten if I’d been unconscious for two days,” Rafe replied, making eye contact with Max. Max gave him a soft nod and Rafe conceded, leaving and shutting the door behind him. 

“Does he know?” Alec asked once he was gone.

“I mentioned it to him,” Max replied, “couldn’t keep it to myself,” 

“Summon yourself a chair, sit down,” Alec told him. 

“I...I’m still too weak too,” Max said quietly, “I’ll go grab one,”

“No, I can do it,” Alec said, going to stand but Max put a hand out, stopping him. 

“Dad you can barely stand on your own,” Max said, “the only thing that’s weak is my magic,”

Max didn’t say another word on the matter, just left the room and returned a moment later with another chair, which he placed on the other side of his father’s bed. 

“Are you mad?” Max asked softly, running his hands through his blue hair before picking at the tip of one of his horns. 

“No,” Alec shook his head, “you saved his life, Max, I could never be mad about that,” 

“Good,” Max replied, “cause I don’t regret it,”

“That’s good to know,” Alec nodded, “my main...concern, I guess, is, how on earth did you even know how to do that?” 

“I read it in one of bapak’s books,” Max said quietly, “a few years ago. I found it tucked in the corner of his library,”

“You always did like to get your hands on the things your father tried to hide away,” Alec chuckled, “there was more than once you tried to get us to read you the Book of the White as a bedtime story,”

“When you hid it from power-hungry warlocks and Greater Demons in my bedroom?” Max asked, a teasing smile on my face. 

“We didn’t know they were drawn to it at the time!” Alec protested before falling into a burst of small laughter with his son. 

“But seriously,” Alec said, his face falling back into seriousness, “how did you know how to do it?” 

“I haven’t practiced it before if that’s what you’re asking,” Max replied before taking a deep breath in, looking at Magnus, “I just...I don’t know. I...um...I knew he was dead when I saw him,”

Max hiccuped and let out a cry, burying his head in his hands as he thought of where his father had been less than two days ago. 

“Oh, come here, blueberry,” Alec said softly, opening his arms. Max quickly got out of his chair and all but collapsed in Alec’s lap. Alec wrapped his arms around Max as his son curled up in a ball on his lap. 

“The second you yelled at me,” Max took another deep breath in, trying to calm himself enough to explain what had happened, “I could clearly see the page in the book in my brain. It was like a photograph. I didn’t even have time to think of the consequences I just started performing the spells,” 

“It’s okay,” Alec said softly, running a hand through Max’s hair, “we’re okay,”

“I almost killed you,” Max sniffled, “I almost killed Rafe,”

“What?” Alec asked, turning his head best he could to look at his son. 

“When you gave pa your energy, he nearly took it all. Ragnor had to rip your hand out of his,” Max said softly, “and I made Rafe pass out too, I took so much of his energy. He was asleep for a whole day. I was the only person in our family who didn’t come back to the Institute unconscious” 

“Oh blueberry,” were Alec’s only words. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like sitting around for an entire day while the rest of his family was unconscious. 

“I think I may be the son of a greater demon,” Max said even softer. 

“What makes you think that?” Alec asked.

“I spent that day you were all unconscious reading the book again,” Max explained, “I shouldn’t have been able to bring him back...especially not without decades, if not centuries of practice. You’re supposed to start with small creatures and work your way up. The only person who would’ve been harder to bring back than bapak is you,” 

“That’s a lot of detail for a book on an illegal practice,” Alec remarked.

“It was written before it was illegal. Twelfth-century, pa translated it from ancient Sanskrit, according to his notes,” Max said.

“I see,” Alec nodded, “has, um, do you know if anyone from the spiral labyrinth has shown up?”

“I don’t, why?” Max asked, his voice clearly nervous. 

“Your pa made them a map so they’d know whenever someone was using necromancy,” Alec said, “after everything that happened during the wars,”

“I see,” Max nodded, “I’m scared, dad,”

“You don’t have to be scared of them,” Alec hugged his son closer, “we won’t let them do anything to you,”

“I’m not scared of the spiral labyrinth,” Max said softly, “I’m scared of me,”

“Oh,” Alec’s voice was soft. All he could do was hold Max tighter because, in all honesty, Alec was a little scared too. 

“If I can do that, what else am I capable of?” Max asked, a few more tears falling down his face.

“Shh, take a deep breath, blueberry,” Alec said, running a hand through Max’s hair, “when your father wakes up he’ll know what to do. He knows so much more than me,”

“That’s the thing, I don’t know if he will wake up,” Max replied, burying his head in the crook of Alec’s neck, “I went through all that and I don’t even know if I did the damn spell right,” 

“He’ll wake up,” Alec said softly, “he has to,”

Max only nodded slightly against his shoulder before looking at Magnus with wet eyes. He still laid there looking almost lifeless, the only thing assuring him he was alive were the vital signs on the screen next to his bed. Max slowly drifted off in the comfort of his father’s arms, final at ease enough to sleep. That’s how Rafe found them when he returned a while later with the tray of sandwiches for Alec. Wordless, he pulled Max from Alec’s lap before carrying his brother off to put him to sleep in an actual bed. Alec took Magnus’ hand back in his, holding it tightly. 

“You need to wake up, Magnus,” Alec pleaded softly, “Max needs his bapak, please. I can’t do this alone,” 

***

After another two days of Alec and his kids living in Magnus’ room in the Institute infirmary Cat had suggested they could move Magnus to the loft. Max, who had begun to gain his magical strength back after sleeping for more than twelve hours, was able to help Cat transfer Magnus and all the monitoring equipment back to the loft. She was just going to help get Magnus settled before leaving, but Max had begged her to stay. He didn’t trust his own magic, especially with how weak it was. She agreed and Max gave her his bedroom so she’d have a place to sleep. 

That was a week ago. 

Alec spent most of his days laying next to his husband, not overly keen about the idea of leaving his side. He still held Magnus’ hand tight, hoping that his husband would draw his energy from him, take enough strength to wake up. The boys spent most of their day with their parents, only leaving to sleep in Rafe’s room at night. 

Alec rarely let go of Magnus’ hand, even when he slept, He held it tightly as he cuddled close to his husband’s body, praying to Raziel every moment he could that Magnus would wake up. 

It was three in the morning entering day twelve of Magnus’ coma when Alec felt his husband’s hand move. 

He panicked at first, thinking he was the one who let go. He moved quickly to try and grab it again, only to find it resting against his cheek. 

“Magnus?” Alec’s voice was soft as he opened his eyes. The early morning moonlight was streaming in through the open curtain, and there were Magnus’ wide open, unglamoured eyes. 

“Hi angel,” Magnus smiled softly. 

“Thank the angel!” Alec cried out before launching himself at Magnus, pressing a firm, love-filled kiss to his lips, unable to stop himself. He pulled away from Magnus’ lips only to begin pressing kisses to every inch of Magnus’ face. 

“Okay, okay, I get it, Alexander,” Magnus laughed softly, trying to push Alec away enough to give himself a little space.

“You were asleep for eleven days, Magnus,” Alec said before pressing another kiss to his lips. Magnus returned it with as much fervor as he could given his weakened state, “you were dead,”

“What?” Magnus looked at him, confused, “how am I here? Are you dead too?!”

“No! No,” Alec shook his head, “we’re both alive and well. As for how, we can save that conversation for later,”

“Okay,” Magnus nodded, knowing that he didn’t have the mental capacity to think about that right now.

“Can I get the boys?” Alec asked softly. 

“Yes, oh my god, yes,” Magnus agreed. 

“MAX! RAFE!” Alec called, making Magnus laugh. 

“You could’ve just texted them,” Magnus laughed before groaning, clutching his side. 

“Careful, we haven’t been able to fully heal you yet,” Alec explained. Magnus was about to reply when their bedroom door burst open with Max and Rafe standing in the doorway. 

“BAPAK!” they both exclaimed, smiles wide on their faces as they ran into the room, climbing onto the bed and hugging their father, careful not to hurt him. 

“Oh, you must’ve really missed me, calling me bapak like that,” Magnus teased and Max only sniffled, hugging his father tighter. Magnus wrapped his arms around his boys and Alec wrapped his arms around his family. They still had a lot they had to address, but right now, none of that mattered. Their family was back together again, and he was not going to let anything else tear them apart.

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, hope you enjoyed. I know this one went a little off the rails from the prompt but it's just what popped into my head. When I come back around adding second chapters to some of these fics, I might add one here, detailing Magnus' recovery as well as a bit more explanation of exactly what Max did.  
> Anyway, day 12 is up next. The prompt is "I can't believe you talked me into this." It's going to be very fluffy and funny, much more light-hearted compared to this one. As always, if you enjoyed, please leave a kudos, comment, and subscribe if you want to see more from me. Next one should be up in a few days. Much love <33


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